Mail-service apparatus.



No. 698,547. Patented Apr. 29, |902.

-G. A. owEN. l MAIL SERVICE APPARATUS.

(Application led Apr. 25, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet L Il" [I'IHHHH 3H Menton @woz/nut.;

Patented Apr. 29, |902. G, A. OWEN, l MAIL SERVICE APPARATUS.

U `(Application. led Apr. 25, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Mudei.)

G8 89 a5 69,9? 35/ 36 L 12A. g4/,1,4% 3

No. 698,547. Patented Apr. 29, |902.

G. A. OWEN. l

' MAIL senvlci: APPARATUS.

' (Application led Apr. 25, 1901.) l (No Model.) 3 Sh9ets-Sheet 3.

'mi Nonws PETERS co. Puowurno wAsiunmu. n. c.

UNITEDV STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE ALFRED OWEN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAIL-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,547, dated April 29, 1902.

Original application iilerl March 23, 1899, Serial No. 708,984. Divided and this application filed April 25, 1901. Serial a citizen of the United States of America, and

a resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Service Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention contemplates means and ap.- pliances operatingin conjunction with a mailing-chute havingdmailing-openings at the different loors whereby mail-matter mailed at any of such floors down through said chute will fall into a receptacle at the bottom thereof, which receptacle is removable, so that the porter -lnay convey such receptacle and the mail therein to the nearest street letter-box and discharge such mail from the receptacle into such street letter-box, and under this department of the invention provision is made whereby the porter cannot see any of the superscriptions or other characteristics of the letters in said receptacle or handle the letters, it only being possible for him to so manipulate the receptacle in presenting-the discharging-mouth thereof opposite the receiving-opening of the street letter-box as to temporarily open the door, which Vat all other times closes such mouth, it being furthermore understood that immediately such receptacle is removed from the lower end of 'the mailing-chute the entrance-opening thereinto is closed, as is also the lower end of the mailing-chute, the latter remaining closed until the portable receptacle has been replaced.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which an exempliflcation of means for carrying out my present invention is shown, and in which- FigureV l is a sectional view vertically through the hoistway, showing an elevating and self-discharging mechanism for the letters for delivery at dierent floors of the building, the mailingchute also being shown, as is also a portion ot' the mail-receiving box at the lower end of the hoistway or Well in which the mailing-chute is by preference located. Fig.2 is a perspective View showing the porter as in the act of discharging the mail-mat- 5 o ter from the portable receptacle into the street (No model.)

taken on a plane at right angles to Fig. 1, through the lower portion of the hoistway and the mailing-chute and through the portable receptacle in place at the bottom of the chute,

this View showing the entrance-opening into the top of such receptacle suitably uncovered, while the door at its discharging-mouth is closed.` Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View through the receptacle, which is understood as removed from its connection with the chute and in position in relation to the mailingopening shown of the street letter-box, the door for the discharging-opening being now opened, as required, While the entrance-opening at the top of the receptacle is closed. Fig. 5 comprises representations in perspective of the lower end of the mailing-chute and the base of the hoistway, the door or shutter for temporarily closing the lower end of the mailing-chute, as is done on the removal of the portable receptacle, and the part for holding or supporting the said door. Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthe upper part of the portable receptacle, particularly showing certain devices provided thereon which coact with the shutter or check-door for the mailing-chute. Fig. 7 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, of the discharging end of the portable receptacle and the closing-door therefor, Fig. 8 being a transverse section of the same, taken on the line S 8, Fig. 7, this View also showing lugs or wards provided on the street letter-box adjacent its receiving-opening, which wards coact with the tumblers that lock the aforesaid doorin the discharge-opening of the portable receptacle. Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the locking-tumblers for the last-mentioned door. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view, on a larger scale than Fig. 3 and throughthe parts shown in Figs. 5 and 6, designed to make clearer the construction, arrangement, and cooperative action of these parts. Fig. 1l is apartial plan view and horizontal sectional View in part taken on the line 11 ll, Fig.-1O,'Whi1e "an 'upperportion of this View, whichis in section, is takenon the line 1l of Fig. 10. Fig. l2 is a view similar to Fig. 10, but showing different relative positions of the parts. Fig. 13 is avertical sectional viewas taken on the line 13 13, Fig. 11,

all of these views, Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive,

constructed well or hoistway in the building,

in which way is inclosed the elevator ormechanical mail-carrier. B for the letters tobe delivered, respectively, through openings a in the side of the hoistway, which openings communicate intohapartments on different ioors, one above another, in the line ofthe elevator-way.

The hoistway A, comprised within the suitable vertical casing, preferably of metal, has at its lower portion, which is in the reception'- hall or entrance of the apartment-house, theA opening through its side, (shown at 5,) for which is provided the hinged door c. y The elevating device is represented bythe generalrletterB and Yforms no part of the presentin'vention, it being fully described and claimed Min my application for Letters Patent of the United States filed March 23, 1899, No. 708,984, of which this application is a division.

For convenience and compactness the mailing-chute D, which has a mailing-opening leading thereinto at each floor, is disposed within the vertical casing forming the boundary .of the hoistway A. c At the lower end of the chute D is the horizontal plate or casting 62 of considerably greater area than that cross-sectional] y of the mailing-chute, said plate G2 having the opening 63, which constitutes the terminal of the chute. The said plate or casting 62, which incidentally constitutes the base or lower end closing `wall for thel hoistway, has the depending rilos 64 64 at opposite edges, against whichV is screwed the horizontal plate 65, provided with the opening 66 directly'under the opening 62, there being between the plate and the one 62 the space for occupancy of the slidev or check doorf, which is designed to be automatically closed when the portable receptacle Gis removed from its place of supi N5`por`ting engagement under the mailing-chute.

The said plate G5 isprovided lwith the parallel grooves 67 near Vthe opposite edges, said grooves, as indicated in the lower part of Figi' at the left and as represented by 67, being for half of' their length extended entirely through the thicknessof the part 65.

Y Theportable receptacle and safety letterbox G has its upper end portion, which is of rectangular form, provided with the opposite pivot-ed pawls 68, under which are the springs 69,;a`s shown in Fig.'l3, each of these pawls and itsspring operating within the vertical narrow recess 70 therefor, as shown in t said Fig.' 13 andin Fig. lO. The's'prings 69 exert the tendency to normally keep the pawls elevated above the upper edge of receptacle G. Said part G has at opposite sides the outthe latter is freed' therefor.

standing ledges or shoulders 72 to be engaged by lugs or flanges 7l for the support thereof under the plate 65, said lugs being comprised in any suitable supporting part provided therefor. Y Y A Y f W'hen the receptacle G is slid into its position under the chute, (shownin Figs. l and 3,) thepawls 68 slide in the grooves 67 of plate G5 and finally rise upwardly through and extend beyond the slot extensions 67?L and engage in the apertures 73 73 of the check-door f, forcing the saine rearwardly against the reaction of the spring 74, so as to cause the part f while the receptacle l-l is in place to be away from under the mouth 63 at the lower end of the chute, leaving unobstructed the passage of letters down through the latter into the receptacle G. As the receptacle is removed by slidingit out from its supporting engagement under the chutethe check-doorf, because of the reaction of the spring '74, which is behind it, forces such'door to cover the opening 63, so that no letter can fall from the chute eX- cepting when the receptacle G is thereunder to receive it.

In the upper Wall of the receptacle G, at its forward side, is the shield or guard 75, extending about haif-way across the top obliquely downwardly. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) Approaching this shield fromthe opposite upper edge of the receptacle, also obliquely downward, is theupp'er door or cover g of the receptacle, this never Ibeing closed except when the receptacle is removed from under the chute, provision being made that when removed and the door g closed the same becomes automatically locked`,so remaining Vuntil the part G has been replaced,.whereupon it is by the act of replacement automatically unlocked and opened.

The part G has the thickenedupper marginal portion, (indicated at 76,) at the inner edge of which is hinged the rear edge of the said cover g. Within the thickened part 76 there is a horizontal series of sockets 77 'for tuniblers 7S, having stems or projections 79 rearwardly projected. The thickened rear edge portion ofthe cover g has also the series of tumbler-sockets 80, in which are the tuinblers 32, springs 83 being interposed between the bases of the sockets 30 and the tum'blers therein.

The part e, which constitutes the support for the receptacle G, has affixed thereto the projecting series ofwards 84: of any suitable irregular arrangement, as practiced under Yale-lock principles. f. Y f n 85 represents a spring, which is comparatively light, but ofsufticient stress to elevate and hold in such position the cover g when The hinged edge of the cover is provided with the lug 86, against which a leverage-pressure may be exerted, yandopposite this lug and the aforesaid thickened portion 76 of the receptacle is'the horizontal transverse socket 87, in which are two plungers SS and 89, with a comparatively IOO IIO

heavy spring 90 between them. "Now assuming that the receptacle having-its cover g upwardly closed and lso locked, as shown in Fig. 12, after having been removed from under the chute is replaced the replacement insures by the engagement of the wards 84 against the stems of the tumblers 78 that the latter will all be so crowded forwardly as to also crowd the tumblers 82 to stand with their outer ends exactly at the surface of the hinged edge portion ot the cover g, so that the latter is tree to be swung downwardly into its open position, (shown in Figs. 3and`l0,) and simultane- I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patously with this action the rear plunger 89 contacting against the supporting-fixture e,

crowded forwardly thereby, imparts through the comparatively heavy spring 90 and the plunger 88 a thrust for leverage against the lug 86, positively `opening the cover, and, on the other hand, on the withdrawal of the receptacle from its supporting engagement un-` der the chute the leverage pressure imparted, as described, on the lug 86 being relieved the spring 85 insures the closing of the cover, and the springs 83 insure that the tumblers 82 will be projected outwardly beyond the end of the sockets therefor and into locking engagement in the sockets 7 7,'formed :in the part 76 of the receptacle into registry with which the covertumblers have come when the cover has assumed its fully-closed position, which transpires before the receptacle has been withdrawn from its engagement with the support e under the chute.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 4, 7, 8, and 9, the automatic mechanism for locking the door in the discharging and opening of the receptacle will be described in conjunctionwith a peculiar devioeto coperate therewith which is provided at the street letter-box. The receptacle Gis formed with the convergent and inclined `lower end portion, as shown at 92, and has Within its upper wall a suitably-thickened part 93, at which :is hinged the door h. Said door is provided with a series of tumbler-sockets 94, in which are the tumb1ers`95 and the tumbler-spring 96. In the thickened part 93 of the wall of the receptacle G al'ealso tumbler-sockets 96, opening inwardly,but not eXtendin g through such wall; but narrow slots or recesses97 lead from the exterior of the receptacle-wall to communication with the said tumbler-sockets 96.

II, Figs. 2 and 8, represents portions of the mailing letter-box in the street, representing the mail-receiving opening and j the hinged cover therefor. This cover has on its inner side the several projecting stubs or wards 98. 99 represents a spring for forcing the'door h open when unlocked and free to b e opened. When the door is in its closed position, (indicated in Figs. 3, 7, and 8,) the tumbler-sockets96 and 94 being in line the tumblers are by their springs forced into the locking relation. (Shownin Figs. 7 and 8.) When the portapered end of the receptacle within said opening, this act brings the projections/98 through the" slots 97 and against the tumblers, so that `their, outer ends are just coincident with the hinged edge of the door h, and the latter now, being consequently unlocked, is thrown open by the spring 99, and the letters are free to ,slide from the portable receptacle into the lstreet letter-box.

ent, is-

1. In a mailservice in a building, a downwardly-extending mailing-chute and a portable receptacle removably supported thereunder provided with the spring-pawl 68, the check-door f horizontally movable between the mouth of the chute and the top of the receptacle having the spring 74 applied thereto,

and having portions thereof engaged by said pawls in the placing of the receptacle beneath the chute, for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination, the mailing-.chute having at its lower endthe plate or support 62 `provided with the depending opposite edge portion 64, the plate 65 secured against and under said portions 64 and provided with the opening 66 and the grooves67, 67, and the slot extension 67, the check-door f located to slide between said parts 62 and 65 provided with `the recesses 73, the spring 74, and the portable receptacle and means for removably sup.- porting it under said part 65, said receptable being provided with the pawls 68 arranged to operate substantially as described.

3. The combination with a mailing-chute, of a portable receptacle, and meanson which the latter is removably supported under the chute, said receptacle `having in the upper opening .thereof the hinged cover g provided with tumbler-sockets 8O and spring-pressed tumblers 82 therein, the corresponding series of tumbler-sockets provided in the upper marginal portion of the receptacle having tum.- blers therein and a tumbler-adjusting device provided on the support for the said receptacle subject to which the locking devices are broughton the replacement of the receptacle under the chute.

4. The combination with the part e, of the portable receptacle provided with the tumbler-,sockets 77 and the tumblers 78, and provided with the socket 87 and a plungerlike forcing device therein, the hinged cover g provided with the tumbler-sockets 80,

supporting IIO and the spring-pressed tumblers 82, and having the leverlugs 86 and the" stationary part 84 comprising the .ltumbler-operatingwards,

substantially as described.

y 5. The combination with a mailing-chute receptacle having the hinged cover and automatic locking and unlocking devices substan-` tially as described, the elevating-spring for ISO and a` receptacle-support thereunder, of the s cover, as shown.

6. The combination With a mailing-chute, of a portable receptacle removably supported thereunder, having a discharging-mouth, and a closing-doortherefor, locking devices betweensuch door and the wall of the receptacle consisting of tu mbler-soclrets in the door and in the wall adjacent thereto, With slots in said Wall leading to said sockets, and an opening-spring for the door. A

7. The portable receptacle having the entrance-opening and a discharging-month, a cover hinged in the entrance-opening, automatic locking and unlocking means for said cover, the closing-door h having tumbler-sockets, the Wall of the receptacle adjacent said door also having sockets with openings from Without leading thereto, and the spring; pressed tumblers 95, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the street letterbox having a receiving-opening and a series 

